Egg crate



Nov. 2, A1943.

K. K. NEWSOM EGG CRATE Filed July 25, 1940` 2 sheets-sheet 2 /57 6 ZZ '2g {..zm 1....... v.

`'ifatented Nov. 2,1943

:"I'his invention relates to improvements` in cartons, packing cases or crates, and refers particularly to cartons, packing cases or crates conurNl'rEo -fsTA'rEs 4PMENr5.1- oFFlc-a i l 2,333,116 fi; f EGG CRATE Kitchener K. Newsom, San Francisco, @Application July z3, 1940; serialNo. 341,055 i lolaims. (craze-43) I v `i structed of corrugated fibrous board which are y especially resistant to moisture and is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending application, Serial No. 119,570, led January 8, 1937.

Corrugated brous board used for the manufacture of certain types of cartons, packing cases, containers or crates usually'comprise a ller or corrugated layer or layers,` lined on the outer,

faces by sheets of paper. lThe paper lining em ployed is usually of a dense, tough variety of paper and although it is not waterproof it is exceedingly water resistant. The corrugated fillers, however, are usually constructed of a' relay tivelybulky absorbent stocksuch as straw board orfthelike which is highly permeable with re- -spect to moisture.

Containers constructed of this type board are very frequently used in extremely moist atmospheres, and although the liners serve to some extent to prevent the passage of the moisture through the board, the corrugations very quickly become, soggy and limp due to the fact that the moisture enters the interior of theboard through the edges thereof,fparticularly those edges at right-angles to the length of the corrugations. Of course, when the corrugations thus become limp, th'e board as a whole loses much of its structural strength and collapses in service.

Such a condition is particularly acute inthe -use of corrugated fibrous board for egg crates.

I'Such boardis especially adaptable for egg crates 'f particularly from the aspect -of handling and "shipping because of its insulating and cushioning properties. However, when the eggs are maintained in cold storage, the moist atmosphere of 'the refrigerated compartment very quickly satuvrates the corrugated llers resulting in .the col- "la'psing of the walls of the container.

Oneyof the important features of my invention residesl in an egg carton, crate or container conl struction comprising corrugated board wherein the corrugations are protected or sealed from the inuences ofthe atmosphere. y

Other objects and advantages of my invention I will be apparent from the accompanying draw- 'line 2-2 oi' Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view! taken on line 3-3of Fig. 2. I f

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailedv sectionallview of one of the folding seals, i

Fig. 5is a sectional view taken on l Fig.f1.

Reierring in detail to the drawings, 1I; indicates a brous crate for the packing of eggs. gThecrate I 'is constructed in two sectionsfan,v upper or outer section 2 and a lower Vor inner section 3.l The upper or outer' section 2 originally comprises a blank offibrous corrugated boardv suitably cut and scored to provide outer side wfallsf and 5 niev 5.-5 of and outer end walls 6 and I ofthefcontainer, t

the various walls being ljoined at the scored corners, 8. The blank is scored along the upper longitudinal edges dening the wal1s'2 and3 to suitably out and scored to provide inner side walls I0 and fI, and inner end wallsv 4I2' and I3,the various walls being joined at scored corners asindicated at I4 in Fig. 5. The lower edges of the side walls I0 and II are scored to provide longitudinal Ilaps I5 which, in use, are folded toward each other. 'I'he flaps I 5 overlap at their outer edges and are stapled or otherwisev Isecured to' gether as indicated at I 6` in Fig.2.

The end walls 6 and 'l of the upper or outer section 2 are joined by scoring to end flaps I'I which, in use, are confined beneath 9. The end walls I2 and I3 of the inner or lower section 3 terminate in end flaps I8 which, as will be hereinafter described, overlap theside flaps I 5 and are stapled or otherwise secured thereto,

- as indicated at I9 in Fig. 3.

In use the side flaps I5 and end aps I8 stapled thereto form the bottom of the crate l, and the upper or outer section is adapted to telescoplcally engage the walls of lower section 3, the side flaps 3 serving'as the top of the crate. In packing the crate, eggs, 30 dozen being standard for a crate,

are packed in the lower or inner section 3, the eggs being carried by suitable fillers and iiats (not shown). When the lower section has been lled,the outer section 21s telescopically slid over the lower section, the naps I1 and 3 folded in,- wardly and the latter flaps secured together by means of an adhesive strip'20. The crate is then in condition for handling, shipping and storing. The blanks comprising both the sections 2 and 3 are so cut, scored and folded with respect. to

the sideaps the-flutes or corrugations of the board that the length of the corrugations of the walls and ends of the sections runs vertically, an'd the length of the corrugations of the flaps, both end and side, run at right angles to the lines of juncture of the flaps with the respective ends and sides. Heretofore, in forming cartons, crates or other containers from corrugated board, the cut edges of the blanks were left open, permitting ingress of moisture laden air between the fibrous liners of the boards. The moisture soon rendered the absorbent corrugations limp thereby diminishing the strength of the board.

As a feature of my invention, the terminal edges of the corrugated walls, flaps, etc., that is, those edges at right angles to the length ofthe corrugation, comprise extensions of one of the liners, preferably that liner which forms the outer face of the board. Thus the corrugations and one linear face at the end in question are overlappedby the opposed liner such as the cuter liner 29 which extends beyond the corrugation ends, The extending portion of the liner is folded over the ends of the corrugations and secured to the face of the board by means of staples, adhesive or other suitable means. Obviously, the folded liner, the liners having water resistant characteristics, seals the ends of the corrugations against the ingress of moisture laden air.

Thus the outer liner extending from the lower defining edges of the walls 4, 5, 6 and 1, is folded over inwardly, as indicated at 2| in Figs. 2 and 3,

'and the inwardly folded portions stapled or otherwise secured to the inner surfaces of the walls. As is hereinbefore described, the flutes 28 together with vthe folded memberv 2|, an air cushion is formed since theiolded member 2| serves as a seal for the air space 28 at its lower end, and although the crate is not intended to be airtight, the air within the crate and in the spaces 28 is sealed to the extent that air, driven from the space 28 by an impact upon the walls, for instance, encounters resistance in being displaced and consequently functions as an air cushion. In this manner additional protection is afforded to the contents ofthe crate.

In View of the fact that crates I, when shipped or stored, are stacked one on top of the other, it is essential that the side and end lwalls of the crate be exceedingly strong and that strength is preserved under all conditions. Hence, it is essential that the wall flutes be sealed from moisture laden air. Accordingly, if desired, only the reverse folds 2| and 22 may be provided which directly seals the wall iiutes, or, if an exceedinglyk economical construction is desired, only the folds 2| may be utilized inasmuch as .the upper edges of the inner section walls are within the crates they will, to a degree, be protected from excessive moisture.

I claim as my invention:

1. A crate comprising two sections constructed I of corrugated board, one of said sections comprising side walls and a bottom, and the other of said sections comprising side walls and a top, the last mentioned of said sections being adapted to embrace the first mentioned section in a telescopic manner with the respective side walls of v each section disposed adjacent each other, the

or corrugations run vertically in the walls and consequently the overfolding of the outer liner extension thereof at 2| seals the wall corrugations and prevents the ingress of moisture laden air through the bottom edges of the walls.

Similarly, theouter linerI extension, at the upper defining edges of the inner walls l0, |I, I2 and I3 are folded inwardly and are stapled or otherwise secured to the inner faces of the walls as indicated at 22 in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. Thus the upper edges of said inner walls are sealed. It will be seen by reference to Fig. -4 that each corrugation 23 runs transversely to the line of fold 24 and that the spaces between adjacent flutes are effectively sealed. In like manner the vedges of the aps 9 are sealed by the overfo1ds25,

and the end flaps I1 are sealed by the overfolds The outer liner extension of the ends of end aps I8 of the lower or inner section 3 are also overfolded as at 21, thereby providing a seal for the utes of walls l2 .and I3. In addition said folded portions,v being at the bottom of the crate serve as cushions therefor or spacers for spacing the side flaps I5 comprising the bottom froma,plane support for the crate. The terminal edges of the side naps I5 are likewise provided with outer liner extensions which are also overfolded as indicated at 21 to seal the flutes or corrugations of the flaps I5.

It will be noted that by the provision of the y overfolds 2| the wall `4 is somewhat spaced from the wall Il), the wall 5 from the wall II., the wall 6 from the wall I2, and the wall 1 from the Wall I3. When fragile articles such as eggs are carried in the crate or particularly when eggs are packed as closely together as close'to the walls of the container as is the practice, impacts with the walls of the crate maytend to damage the eggs. However, by the provision of the space length of the corrugations of the walls of said embracing section being at right angles to the top, the bottom portion of the walls of said embracing section being formed of outer liners extended and folded over to seal the lower ends of saidv corrugations, means for securing said extended and folded outer liner portions to the opposed liner faces of said walls, the outer liner formed on the lower ends of said walls of said top section being adapted to abut against said walls of said bottom section to hold said inner and -outer walls in spaced relation with respect to each other, thereby forming an air cushion between said inner and outer walls. I

2. A crate comprising two sections constructed of 'corrugated board, one of .said sections comprising side walls and a bottom and the other of embrace the first mentioned section in a telescopic manner with the respective side walls of each section disposed adjacent to each other, the length of the corrugations of the walls of said embracing section being at right angles to the top, the bottom portion of the walls of said embracing section comprising liners extending from the outer face thereof reverse folded over the lower-ends of said corrugations, means for securing said reverse folded portions to the inner faces of said walls, the outer liner formed on the lower ends of said walls of said top section being adapted to abut against said walls of said bottom section to holdsaid inner and outer walls in spaced relation with respect to each other, thereby forming an air cushion between said inner and outer walls. v

3. A crate comprising two sections constructed of corrugated fibrous board, one of said sections comprising side walls and a bottom and the other of said sections comprising side walls and a top, the last mentioned of said sections being adapted of said embracing section and the top portion of the walls of said embraced section comprising t one extended liner reverse folded to seal the ends of said respective corrugations, means forisecuring said portions in folded position, the outer liner formed on the lower ends of said walls of said top section being adapted to abut against said walls of said bottom section to hold said inner and outer walls in spaced relation with respect to each other, thereby forming an air cushion between said inner and outer walls.

4. A crate comprising two sections constructed of corrugated fibrous board, one of said sections comprising a blank cut and scored to form side walls, end walls, side aps and end flaps, said side flaps and end aps being jointed to form a bottom, another of said sections comprising a blank cut and scored to form side walls, end walls, side flaps and enli flaps, said side flaps and end aps being joined to form a top, said sections being telescopically associated to form a completely enclosed crate, the blanks being so cut that the length of the corrugations of the side walls run vertically and the length of the corrugations of the flaps run inwardly with respect to the vertical center of the crate, all of the cut edges of said blanks being formed with one of the liner faces thereof of greater length than the filler and opposed liner'and reverse folded to seal the ends of the corrugationsl'neans for securing the said'ext tended and folded liner' in folded position against said opposed liner, the outer liner formed on' the lower ends of said walls of said top section being ladapted to abut against said walls of said bottom section to hold said inner and outer walls lin spaced relation with respect to each other, thereby forming an air cushion between said inner and outer walls.

KITCHENER K. NEWSOM.7 

